Nightmares
by eclaregurl
Summary: In Ziva's dreams, Saleem is very much alive, terrifing her. If not Tony, who can save her from her subconscious? One-Shot.


**(A/N: Hey guys! This is just a one shot for The NCIS Family Complete. Hope you like it!)**

Tony watched as his wife's sobs quieted, and fell a peaceful sleep. He smiled remembering the first time he couldn't calm her himself…

*Flashback*

"Ziva," Tony cried, "It's alright you're safe."

"N-n-no," Ziva cried twisting and cringing in her sleep.

After trying everything that usually worked, Tony walked out of their bedroom, a tear threatening to escape, "I'm sorry, Zi. At least when you wake up, you never remember it…" Tony paced the kitchen hoping it would stop, "Two in the morning, we need to get up in a few hours." He walked down to his four year old daughter's room' there was always a spot there to him, if he ever needed to crash.

"D-daddy?" the little girl asked rubbing her eyes as the hallway light the filled her room.

Tony sighed. "Hey, Baby girl, you should be asleep," Tony wrapped her in a hug, holding her close.

She grinned at him, her tongue slightly poking through the space her baby tooth was just last week, "You too, daddy!"

Tony kissed her head, "I know, Katie, I know, but Mommy's having some… difficulties tonight."

"What you mean?" Katie said worried.

"Remember when Mommy and I told you too always be careful? About when Uncle Tim, Uncle Gibbs, even Uncle Leon, and I helped Mommy a long time ago, from those bad people that were hurting her?" Tony asked. Katie nodded. "Well, she never remembers, but Mommy is having another nightmare like you sometimes? Usually I can help but nothing I do is helping right now."

"Poor Mommy!" Katie cried as she jumped out of his arms and ran out of her room.

"No, wait, Caitlyn!" Tony whisper/yelled as he ran after her. He stopped in the door way of his room. Katie was standing by the bed watching her mother squirm.

"Stop please!" Ziva moaned.

"Mommy, its ok, you're ok," Katie placed her tiny hand on Ziva's face.

Ziva's eyes didn't open, but she calmed down and smiled, "Caitlyn, my little bekhirah." Ziva reached out and brought Katie into her arms, both falling back asleep comfortably.

Tony smiled and kissed both their heads, "I love you girls."

The next morning, Ziva woke up to her daughter in her arms. Smiling she turned to Tony who was waking up as well, "What's Katie doing in here, Tony?"

Tony wrapped his arms around her, "Well, Sweet cheeks, you had another nightmare about Saleem."

"I did?" Ziva was confused.

"Yea, you never remember when you do, but yea you did. I tried everything I usually try to get you to calm down, or even wake up, even tried things I hadn't before. But you were lost in the nightmare. I walked around the house a little hoping to ride it out, ya know? But I ended up in Katie's room told her you were having a bad dream, she ran in here, all it took was her to touch your face. You didn't exactly wake up, but you knew it was her," Tony kissed her hair.

"I'm glad to have you guys," Ziva said pulling Katie closer and snuggling more into Tony.

*end flashback*

Six years later and Katie was still the only one to get Ziva to calm down. As he watched, his ten year old daughter in the arms of his wife, Katie wiped Ziva's tears away. He had a theory as to why Katie was the only one who could help; it had to be that in Ziva's nightmare she was trapped in the past, he was in her past, no he wasn't there when he should've been, but he was in her past, and Caitlyn? She only came into Ziva's life recently by comparison, it was as if knowing Caitlyn was there, Ziva was no longer in the past, no longer in Saleem's grasp, that in her sleep after mentally going through everything Saleem and him men did to her, she knew he was dead just because Katie was there.

Tony loved his family so much, all of his family: Abby and McGee, even the autopsy gremlin and his wife, who were like siblings to him, his nieces and nephew, Gibbs who was like a father to him, Ducky, like a quirky uncle, his kids, but especially his wife, he was glad she had someone, if it couldn't be him, someone who could help her feel safe.

**(A/N: I love this NCIS family I created. Its fun writing for! Hope you liked it!)**


End file.
